An Argument for Clarity: What are Learning Management Systems, What are They Not, and What Should They Become.

JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

An Argument for Clarity: What are Learning Management Systems, What are They Not, and What Should They Become.

Watson, William; Watson, Sunnie Lee

Date:2007

Abstract:

The application of computers to education has a history dating back to the 1950s, well before the pervasive spread of personal computers (Reiser, 1987). With a mature history and varying approaches to utilizing computers for education, a veritable alphabet soup of terms and acronyms
related to computers in education have found their way
into the literature, most of them non-standardized. Learning
Management System (LMS) is one approach to the application
of computers to education which holds great potential
and important concepts yet is often misunderstood and the
term misused. This article will clarify the use of the term LMS by presenting a history and definition of LMS, differentiating it from similar terms with which it is often
confused, and discussing the role it can play in education. It will then describe current application and available features of LMSs, and conclude by identifying trends and
recommending future research.